3:17, phone against my cheek Same three posts I’ve read all week Someone’s kitchen, someone’s holiday I meant to put it down an hour ago There’s a crack above the bedroom door Can’t remember seeing it before Turn onto my other side Check the time in case it’s changed If you called, I wouldn’t know where to start Nothing happened. Work was fine. I’d probably ask about your day And let you do the talking for a while Just tired, that’s what I say When you ask if I’m okay I’ve been going through the day Picking at the things I said I leave a little something on Someone talking while I lie here Miss the end and start again Too awake to take it in Typed “Are you awake?” then cleared the screen It’s late. You’ve got somewhere to be. I open up the window, hear the street A taxi waiting, someone drops their keys The fridge clicks off, a car pulls out I hear somebody laughing further down For a minute I just listen there Bare feet cold against the floor There’s probably a word for how I feel I’d look it up, but then I’d be Reading till the morning came With something else to worry me Just tired, that’s what I say When you ask if I’m okay I’ve been going through the day Picking at the things I said I leave a little something on Someone talking while I lie here Miss the end and start again Too awake to take it in Tomorrow, if you ask again I might let the question hang Take a breath before I say The thing I always say You don’t have to stay up late Or find a way to make it stop Maybe we could talk a bit About the week you’ve had The video ends. I let it end. Put the phone beside the bed. There’s a van outside, somebody leaving. I lie there for a while and listen.
